The EC 120B Colibri: A Best-Seller in its Class - More than 300 Orders from 35 Countries
FARNBOROUGH AIR SHOW 2002
Farnborough, 22 July 2002
The reasons behind the success of the EC 120B COLIBRI are many. One of these reasons is surely the fact that this five-seat helicopter is a new generation aircraft with a design based on customer feedback (ECat Meeting). It has also proven to be the most multi-functional helicopter in its class. Its endurance, hover flight performances, and payload / range ratio are better than those of its competitors. Close to 300 aircraft have been delivered and logged more than 110,000 flight hours for 125 customers in 32 countries.
The EC 120B Colibri integrates the majority of the latest technological advances for dynamic components, engines, airframes, and avionics.
It is equipped with a "Spheriflex" rotor head, which makes maintenance much easier. The 8 asymmetric composite blades on the new Fenestron® help reduce the helicopter's noise level to 6.6 dB beneath the threshold set by the ICAO. It's the quietest helicopter in its class, and its engine emissions have low levels of pollutants.
In fact, its engine is the latest Turbomeca Arrius 2F turbine engine that generates 504 shp/376 kW.
Maintenance for the helicopter is extremely economical, and its engine is known for its exceptionally low fuel consumption.
A major portion of the airframe has also been manufactured using composite materials. The EC 120B Colibri has a spacious cabin (the biggest in its class) that can hold 5 passengers. It is especially ergonomic and comfortable.
The fuel tank was split in two to make room for a baggage compartment located at the floor level. The roomy baggage compartment (0.8 m 3) can be accessed from the interior or the exterior.
The EC 120B Colibri is the first single-engine helicopter to meet the requirements of the new JAR 27 safety regulations (structurally crashworthy fuel system and pilot and passenger seats).
The helicopter also benefits from innovations such as a clearly arranged instrument panel with color screens - the VEMD (Vehicle and Engine Multifunction Display) - to display the primary engine and vehicle parameters.
The VEMD system, which has been placed in the center of the instrument panel, means that only one pilot certification for the left-hand and right-hand sides was necessary. It uses symbols similar to those on standard indicators to display the primary engine and vehicle parameters. It also includes the FLI (First Limitation Indication).
The synthetic display on the screen, which includes an FLI audio alarm, considerably reduces the pilot's workload. It is also an important safety feature that improves mission performance, in particular for jobs with external loads.
The maximum take-off weight of the EC 120B Colibri was increased to 1715 kg, which pushed up the payload to over 750 kg for a distance of 730 km at 230 km/hr. The Colibri can now carry a sling load of 700 kg.
Only light maintenance is necessary on the helicopter, whose designers stressed easy access and cost reduction. The pilot can perform the maintenance himself between each scheduled inspection.
The standard technical documentation is available on CD-ROM. Interactive navigation makes it possible to use different criteria to access a document data base. This information is updated regularly, and the user enjoys greater flexibility.
The EC 120B Colibri has many optional features. The most popular with the operators are the dual pilot flight controls and the comfort version's interior finishing.
And finally, don't forget the other important options: air-conditioning, emergency flotation gear, radio-navigation equipment, sand filter, cable cutter, electric adjustable mirror, and many more.
All of these characteristics make the EC 120 B Colibri the ideal helicopter for armed forces to perform observation missions, and to train pilots at low costs. 30 helicopters have already been ordered for this purpose: 15 by the Spanish Air Force, 3 by the Indonesian Navy, and 12 for the Indonesian Air Force.
Approximately one hundred helicopters will leave the production lines in 2002.
The helicopter is manufactured in cooperation with China (CATIC) and Singapore (Singapore Technologies Aerospace). The industrial breakdown for the program is 24% for the Chinese, 15% for STAe, and 61% for Eurocopter, who is the project leader.
Eurocopter is a wholly-owned subsidiary of EADS (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company). With revenues amounting to 30.8 billion Euro and a workforce of 100,000, EADS is the largest European aerospace company and No. 2 worldwide. It is active in the sectors of commercial aircraft, helicopters, space, military transport and combat aircraft as well as defence technology and services.
For more detailed information, please contact:
Jean-Louis ESPES
Tel: +33(0) 4 42 85 95 55
Fax: +33(0) 4 42 85 95 64
Eurocopter
Aéroport International Marseille Provence
13725 Marignane Cedex - France -
Christina GOTZHEIN
Tel: +49(0) 89 60 00 64 88
Fax: +49(0) 89 60 00 44 37
Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
D-81663 Munich - Germany
Chantal LINARES
Tel: +33(0) 4 42 85 60 51
Fax: +33(0) 4 42 85 95 64
Eurocopter
Aéroport International Marseille Provence
13725 Marignane Cedex - France
Christoph MÜLLER
Tel: +49(0) 906 71 45 65
Fax: +49(0) 906 71 46 74
Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
D-86607 Donauwörth - Germany
Web Site: www.eurocopter.com
